Treatment of fabrics



May- 21, 1935. 7H. DREYFUS 2,002,083

TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed July 25, 1930 NATURAL SILK YARN CELLULOSE YARNS REMOVED BY HOT D COTTON OR REGENERATED CELLULOSE YARN I Y CELLULOSE ACETATE A NATURAL s|u Y YARNS SAPONJF'IED 5 CELLULOSE ACETATE YARN SAPONIFIED CELLULOSE ACETATE YARN REMOVED BY HOT ACID 1 TREATMENT INVENTOR Henry Dregfus Y i'r romuzvs Patented Mty 21, 1935 .UNl-TED STATES PATENT OFFICE i "-raummf :?ranmos V v Henry Dreyfus, London, England Application my 2 r In Great 3, 1930, Serial No. 410,232

Britain August 2, 1929 This invention relates to improved; processes for the treatment of fabrics and in particular the treatment of fabrics made of cotton or other cellulosic fibresor containing cotton or other cellu- 5 losic fibres in association with cellulose derivatives, for example cellulose acetate or other cellulose esters or cellulose ethers or withanimal nbres, for instance wool or silk. h m j m The object of the present invention isto proof the cotton or other cellulosic fibre partly or wholly from such fabrics, andmore particularly, the, invention is concerned with new processes for the production of ornamental. effects, for instance lace, brocade or raised figure effects, on such fabrics. I

the removal of cotton orother cellulosic fibres irommaterials containing" cotton and animal fibres the fabric has been printed or impregnated with a chemical reagent, forlinstanqe umi ium sulphate, aluminiumchloride or hydrochloric acid, and has action or heat, for example incarbonizing dryer at 110-130? C., hereby the chemicalf destroys the cellulosic threads. In British Patent specification No. 274,074 similar eifects are produced in mixed fabrics containing cellulose and cellulose derivatives. i

found that the cellulosic threads 30 may be removed by treating the iabric in a hot bath containing aluminium chloride,

sulphate, hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, ferric",

chloride or other mineral acid or acid salt or a salt having lan s moving the disintegrated threads in any suitable manner, as for example by washing or brushing. The baths, may contain the acidicsubstance in solution in water or in organic, liquids having no 4o deleterious effect upon the animal fibres or ,celluorganic solvent. For-examplein the case of animal fibres the acidic substancesImay be employed in solution in organic acids, for example acetic acid. g r

Local effects, for example the localremoval oi pile or plush, may be obtained according 'tothe present invention by first applying tothe fabric consisting of or containing cotton or other cellulosic fibre'a suitable substance adapted to reserve the fibre against the action of the acidic substances. When the fabric is thereafter treated in a hot bath containing the acidicvsubstance only the cellulosic fibres in the unreserved portions will be disintegrated and rendered removparticularly vide' newor improved processes for thereinoval delustering, if

Hitherto inprocesses concerned with tempe'ratureof thereafter beenv subjected to the h "ner. acid reaction, and thereafter relose derivatives, or in solution ina mixed aqueous ium chloride,

' with suitable mordant I have found that quite efilcient disintegration of the cellulosicfibres may be obtained, for example, by treating the materials ior about 1 to 3 hours in a boiling bath containing relativelylow concentrations of acidic substance, for example 2-3% of aluminium chloride, hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid or ferric chloride. Higher concentrations e'. g. 5, 10,20 oreven 40% or more,

7 or the acidic salts, may be used. Moreoven with greater concentrations lower tem- 10 peratures or shorter timesmay be employed if desired. As is well known some cellulose acetate materials are liable to be delustered when treatedin boiling aqueous baths, and to avoid such delustering is not required, the 16 the bath in treating materials containing cellulose acetate may be below the delusteringtemperature, or alternatively substances may be added to the baths toprevent such delustering, for example, sodium sulphate, or other 20 neutral salts or other salts or sugars, (see for example United States Patents Nos. 1,7 56,581 and According to a modification of -the invention,

by employing the principle of British Patent specification No. 302,363, namely by eifecting a preliminary local saponiilcation, the processes of the present invention may beapplied to the re-. moval ofcellulose acetate'or other cellulose ester from fabrics made of or containing them.

The iabricsitreatedaccording to the present invention may be coloured in any desired man- For example, to colour portions reserved as described above, suitable colouring matters may be incorporated in the reserve; or again the reserved portions may be subsequently coloured. Two. or 'multi-colour effects may be, obtained on mixed fabrics by taking advantage of thedifierent dyeing aillnities of the fibres used in association. If a mordant metalsalt such as alumin- 40 aluminium sulphate-or ferric chloride, be applied according Ito the present invention under such conditions that mordanting or the reserved fibres or of the fibres such as animal fibres or cellulose derivatives which are unattacked by themacidic'substances, then such mordanted flbresmay afterwards he coloured dyestufis, l i

The following examples illustrate the best methods known to m for carrying the invention so into effect, but are not'to be considered as limit- 7 ing the invention in any way;

Example 1 a mixed natural wool-cotton fabric is boiled as in an aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid of 2-3 per cent. strength for 2-3 hours or until the cotton fibre is readily removable, as for example by washing, brushing or the like.

Example 2 A mixed fabric containing cellulose acetate, natural wool and cotton is heated at C. in an aqueous solution of ferric chloride, containing 10 per cent. of Glaubers salt, of 3-5 per cent. concentration, for 2-3 hours or until the cotton is readily removable. After the removal of the cotton the fabric may be dyed with mordant dyestuffs .to fix therein an iron lake. 7

Example 3 reference numerals refer to similar parts Figure 1 shows a fabric woven with natural silk yarns, I, in the warp and cotton or regenerated cellulose yarns, 2, in the weft. v Figure 2 shows the fabric of Figure 1 after certain portions, A, of the cotton or regenerated cellulose yarns have been-removed by the'local application of the hot acid locally.

Figure 3 shows a fabric woven with natural silk yarns, l, in the warp and cellulose acetate yarns, 3, in the weft. v

Figure 4 showsthe fabric of Figure 3 after a certain portion, B, of the cellulose acetate yarns has been saponified by the local application of a saponifying agent, the saponified portions of the cellulose acetate yarn being shown at 4.

Figure 5 shows the fabric of Figure 4 with the saponified portion, B, of the cellulose acetate yarns removed by the hot acid treatment.

It is to be understood that the following description of the invention is merely illustrative. What I claim and desire to secure. by Letters Patent is:--

1.'Process for the removal of cellulosic fibres from fabrics, which consists in treating mixed -=materials in a hot bath having an acid reaction and containing an anion of an inorganic acid until the cellulosic fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath, and mechanically removing the same. Y

2. Process for the production of effects on fabrics,"which consists in treating mixed materials containing cellulosic fibres in a hot bath having an acid reactionand containing an anion of an inorganic acid until the cellulosic fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath, and

mechanically removing the same.

7 :3. Process according to claim 2, in which the treatment is applied at substantially the boiling point of the bath.

4. Process for the production of effects on fabthe cotton fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath, and mechanically removing thesame.

6. Process for the production of effects on fabrics which consists in treating mixed materials containing cotton in a hot bath containing ferric chloride until the cotton fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath, and mechanically removing the same.

'7. Process for the production of effects upon fabrics which consists in subjecting mixed materials containing fibres comprising organic esters of cellulose at least in selected areas to the action of a reagent which will saponify the cellulose ester, and then treating the materials in a hot bath having an acid reaction and containing an anion of an inorganic acid until the cellulosic fibres are rendered removableby the action of said bath, and mechanically removing the same.

8. Process for the production of effects upon fabrics which consists in subjecting mixed materials containing fibres comprising cellulose acetate at least in selected areas to the action of a reagent which will saponify the cellulose acetate, and then treating the materials in a hot fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath, and mechanically removing the same.

9. Process according to claim 8 in which the bath contains a concentration of less than 5% of the, substance which imparts the acid reaction thereto.

10. Process according to claim 8 in which substances which prevent delustering of the cellulose acetate fibres are present in the treatment removable by the action of said bath, and mechanically removing the same.

12. Process for the production of effects upon fabrics which consists in subjecting mixed materials oontaining fibres comprising cellulose acetate at least in selected areas to the action of a reagent which will saponify the cellulose acetate, then treating the materials in a hot bath containing ferric chloride until the cellulosic fibres are rendered removable by the action of said bath and mechanically removing thesame.

HENRY DREYFUS. 

